The Sheik (novel)
Encyclopedia
The Sheik is a book by Edith Maude Hull
, an English novelist of the early twentieth century. It is similar to many of her other books, but it was her most popular and was the basis for the film of the same name
starring Rudolph Valentino
in the title role. Published in 1919, it is still in print today. The novel is out of copyright in the USA and Europe and can be downloaded as an e-book
.
n city of Biskra
. A dance is being held, hosted by Lady Diana Mayo and her brother. Lady Conway, a minor character in the book, is talking at some length of her disapproval of Diana.
It transpires that Diana is planning to go on a month long trip into the desert, taking no-one with her but the Arab
guides. Nobody thinks this to be a sensible idea. Lady Conway blames her "scandalous" upbringing. She was raised almost as a boy, since she had no mother or father. Her mother died giving birth to her; her father killed himself as a result.
, Ahmed Ben Hassan. It turns out her guide had been bribed.
She is, of course, recaptured by Ahmed. As he is riding back with her, she is overcome by the sudden realisation that she is in love with him. She knows she can say nothing, as he will send her away if he realises she loves him - he finds it boring.
Eventually she is allowed to go riding again. Unfortunately, she is kidnapped by a rival Sheik and taken away. When Ahmed finds this out, he realises his love for her, and sets out to get her back. He does this, but is wounded in the process.
mother dreadfully. Ahmed swore revenge on the English.
by William Shakespeare
.
Edith Maude Hull
Edith Maude Hull was a British novelist best known for being the author of the romantic novel The Sheik which became an international best seller in 1921....
, an English novelist of the early twentieth century. It is similar to many of her other books, but it was her most popular and was the basis for the film of the same name
The Sheik (film)
The Sheik is a 1921 silent film produced by Famous Players-Lasky, directed by George Melford and starring Rudolph Valentino, Agnes Ayres, and Adolphe Menjou...
starring Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino
Rudolph Valentino was an Italian actor, and early pop icon. A sex symbol of the 1920s, Valentino was known as the "Latin Lover". He starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle and Son of the Sheik...
in the title role. Published in 1919, it is still in print today. The novel is out of copyright in the USA and Europe and can be downloaded as an e-book
E-book
An electronic book is a book-length publication in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, and produced on, published through, and readable on computers or other electronic devices. Sometimes the equivalent of a conventional printed book, e-books can also be born digital...
.
At the hotel
The novel opens in an hotel in the AlgeriaAlgeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n city of Biskra
Biskra
Biskra is the capital city of Biskra province, Algeria. In 2007, its population was recorded as 207,987.During Roman times the town was called Vescera, though this may have been simply a Latin transliteration of the native name. Around 200 AD under Septimius Severus' reign, it was seized by the...
. A dance is being held, hosted by Lady Diana Mayo and her brother. Lady Conway, a minor character in the book, is talking at some length of her disapproval of Diana.
It transpires that Diana is planning to go on a month long trip into the desert, taking no-one with her but the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
guides. Nobody thinks this to be a sensible idea. Lady Conway blames her "scandalous" upbringing. She was raised almost as a boy, since she had no mother or father. Her mother died giving birth to her; her father killed himself as a result.
In the desert
After some minor events, which serve only to elaborate as to Diana's character (these include a marriage proposal, in which she explains that she doesn't know what love is and that she doesn't want to know), she sets off to the desert. It doesn't take long until she is kidnapped, by the eponymous SheikSheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
, Ahmed Ben Hassan. It turns out her guide had been bribed.
The Sheik's tent
He takes her to his tent and rapes her. (This is not made explicit in the book, but in the context it is fairly clear.) She spends a few months there, being raped regularly; she hates him. In these months his character is brought out more.The escape
As she is allowed by now to go riding in the desert, accompanied by his valet, Gaston, she formulates an escape plan; she goes riding one day and throws her handkerchief on the ground. Gaston, courteous as always, leaps off his horse to fetch it. She gallops off.She is, of course, recaptured by Ahmed. As he is riding back with her, she is overcome by the sudden realisation that she is in love with him. She knows she can say nothing, as he will send her away if he realises she loves him - he finds it boring.
The kidnap
Trust grows between them, as she submits to his violent treatment. We learn that he is punishing her like this because she is English, but we don't yet know why.Eventually she is allowed to go riding again. Unfortunately, she is kidnapped by a rival Sheik and taken away. When Ahmed finds this out, he realises his love for her, and sets out to get her back. He does this, but is wounded in the process.
The explanation
As he lies in the tent, desperately ill, his friend, who has been staying there for the past few weeks, explains to Diana why he hates the English. His father, apparently, was English, and he mistreated his SpanishSpanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
mother dreadfully. Ahmed swore revenge on the English.
The end
When he is better, he explains to Diana in a tense climactic scene that he is sending her away. She is upset, especially as he confesses to her that it is because of his love for her; he can't bear to mistreat her any more. Although she begs and pleads, declaiming her love, he stands firm. In utter despair, she reaches for a revolver in a desperate attempt to die as her father died. Ahmed wrenches the gun from her and clasps her to him, declaring he will never let her go. The book ends with them passionately declaring their love.Controversy
This book has attracted some controversy due to its depiction of a strong, self-sufficient woman being tamed and subdued by a man who rapes her repeatedly. This is exacerbated by the fact that she falls in love with her rapist. The plot has been compared to The Taming of the ShrewThe Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of the Shrew is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1590 and 1591.The play begins with a framing device, often referred to as the Induction, in which a mischievous nobleman tricks a drunken tinker named Sly into believing he is actually a nobleman himself...
by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
.